Grimsel Pass

There are several Alpine passes in Switzerland that offer a thrill, but none as serpentine and lunar as the Grimsel. The steep, corkscrew road rises to an elevation of 7,100 feet, connecting Canton Bern to Canton Valais and leading travelers through an eerie, treeless world where smooth, storm-softened rocks can feel more Scottish than Swiss. The road also bypasses the town of Meiringen, where meringue was invented, and the imposing and now-infamous Reichenbach Falls, where Sherlock Holmes met his end at the hands of his nemesis, Professor Moriarty. At its top there are several trails to explore; many of them traverse through caves and old Swiss military tunnels and bunkers.